Editor’s note: “Behind the News” is the product of Sun staff assisted by the Sun’s AI lab, which includes a variety of tools such as Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity AI, Google Gemini and ChatGPT.

NASCAR’s Cup Series playoff race in Las Vegas today marks one of the sport’s most dynamic and economically impactful weekends, blending nearly three decades of motorsports history at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the city’s unique energy and a loyal local driver following.

The origins and growth of NASCAR in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1,200-acre motorsports complex located 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip[1]. The facility traces its roots to the Las Vegas Speedrome, a road course and drag strip that opened in 1972. A 3/8-mile short track was added in 1985, and in 1989,

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